Bangladesh budget for 2017-18 fiscal to top Tk 4 trillion: Finance minister

The size of the budget for 2017-18 fiscal year will cross the Tk 4 trillion mark, Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said.

He revealed the information after the first pre-budget discussion with four research organisations on Sunday.

"Our projection was Tk 4 trillion. But I want to take it to Tk 4.2 trillion," he said on being asked by a reporter.

He also said the budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year would be of Tk 5 trillion, but a 'simple' one.

Asked about the plan to implement the VAT law, Muhith said, "The businesses have objected to it. Discussions on the issue are under way."

The minister sat with Policy Research Institute (PRI), Economic Research Group (ERG), the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) in the first pre-budget discussion.

About the discussion, the finance minister said the organisations advised more specification and definitions, and more programmes to pay attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

BIDS Director General KAS Murshid, Senior Research Fellow Nazneen Ahmed, economist Wahid Uddin Mahmud, among others, were present.

Finance Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, former finance secretary Mahbub Ahmed, Bank and Financial Institutions Division Secretary Eunusur Rahman and National Board of Revenue Chairman Nojibur Rahman attend it as well.